BIONICLE: Regicide
by EMMSixteenA4
Summary: On the Island of Faiklen, half a world away from Okoto, the good King fails to protect the land and falls in a battle. Years later, the ones who defeated him sit upon his throne, and his people are enslaved. Revived by a courageous villager named Riskas, the pair will bring REGICIDE. [Based in 2015 reboot canon of the BIONICLE. Minimal violence.] [Entirely original cast thus far.]
1. Chapter 0: All Ends Are Beginnings

"This day marks four-score years here-since this dreadful invasion of an enemy most malevolent!" Shouted the King to his troops. "This is the last battle we will face, be it through victory or defeat! The Menace must be stopped here! We know nothing of them, but blood, honor and courage will be all you need to know!"  
>"Oya!" Called back. It was an ancient war chant of the islands' inhabitants. The King's army had been pushed back to his birthplace, and were pinned against the sea.<p>

The army of the Menace approached the King's forces. Less than one-hundred yards away, the King roared: "Toa! . . . Charge!"  
>"Oya!" Went the chorus.<p>

And a mighty battle of ages began. Some say it lasted many days. Some say it took a year. Different tales and yarns have been told by many, but all end the same: the King and his Toa Army were overcome by the Menace, an alien humanoid race from distant lands, and the King fell in battle, dishonored.

The leader of the menace beat the King within an inch of death, and murdered his family right in front of him, before decapitating him and kicking his head into a "bottomless" canyon below, the Hellwretch. Although this gathering of tales altogether completes a puzzle of woes, all ends, truly are, humble beginnings.


	2. Chapter 1: Awakening

"Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope-"  
>"Put a bolt in it! <em>I'm<em> going into the Hellwretch, unless you're too **scared**!" Said Riskas.  
>"B-b-but!" Emir seemed to have no rebuttal at first, then he regained control of himself. "They say that there are monsters down here!"<br>"Oh, fine, be a baby and go back to the village. I'll see you in the morning, but _I'm _going exploring." Riskas finished. He was quite a character, and most if not all of the village's inhabitants respected him.  
>"F-F-Fine! But if you're not back by morn, we'll send out a search party down here!" Said Emir.<br>Riskas made a confident face of dismissal. "Pfft. _Sure_." He began to strut down into the dark depths below until Emir could no longer see him, then carried on normally. He took out a lightstone, a valuable resource on the island, and it illuminated his way. More so than he cared, in fact, as the shadows seemed to flicker in a very deliberate way. . . Almost as if he was being lead. The dark crevices and natural hallway-like structures deep within the rock were magnificent, bluish gray with speckled darker spots and occasional patches and pockets of other rock, either more or less worn. The ground was wet and strange feeling, unlike anything he'd felt under his feet before.

Life in his village was not bad, but in other ones, larger ones, which the Menace deemed worthy, now _they_ were bad. Villagers and protectors enslaved, hiding Toa hunted and publically executed. . . Riskas shuddered to think of it. His town, was virtually untouched by the Menace's grasp on the island, other than the now-and-again patrols, spot checks and searches for hidden Toa. Suddenly, he saw a divergence in his path. There was smaller, tighter crack in the rocks on the right wall. A faint, light seeped through.

At first he felt lazy and went straight, rather than squeezing himself through the tight crack in the rocks. Then he felt compelled to go back and see what lay beyond it. Doubling back, he pushed himself through the crack, feeling the resurging light upon his mask. He grew more and more determined to get through to the other side, as the light blinded what was ahead because his eyes hadn't adjusted to it. Yet the pass grew tighter and tighter, to the point where at the very last moment Riskas shrieked as he finally unwedged himself and fell over on the other side. Blinded, he got up and sat against something for support.

Unfortunately, it growled. Getting up, his eyes beginning to adjust just a smidge, he could see the faint outline of this beast. It was some kind of animal, and very unhappy to be disturbed from its sleep. Pulling the iron swords from his back, Riskas got up and swung his swords wildly, and heard a slash noise, and a roar, before large, clunky footsteps running off to another part of the Hellwretch canyon. He squinted, and his eyes finally adjusted.

There was a hole in the roof. He hadn't gone too far underground, it seemed. It was only then he noticed that the air was so fresh. Looking around he noticed what made the room echo with light. Directly under the hole, where the light was let in, was a clear, clean, translucent mask. Like none he had seen before. It had the shape of the mask a Master of Fire would carry, but not at all the colour of one. In fact, it's colour- or rather, lack thereof, made it a puzzling case. What element of a Toa hero did this belong to? How long had he fallen? Before the Redaction? Or after the Fall? Perhaps only recently. One thing was for sure, it couldn't stay here. Riskas reached for the mask, but felt himself struck by pain from the moment he did so. Immediately out of energy, the villager passed out.

"Oh, misfortunes! Let him not be dead! Not dead, no!" A voice emanated above him.  
>"Whu. . . what?" Riskas muttered.<br>"Shh, now, friend. I know not how I arrived here nor you, but can say lest we stay here I must escape with your help, good sirrah!"  
>"Er. . . What?" Riskas opened his eyes to find a nightmare looking back. It was the King. . . "Guess I'm dead."<br>"What makes you say that, good sirrah?" Asked the King.  
>"Because you are <em>long<em> dead. Hundreds of years- mayhaps thousands!"  
>"What say you?!" The king gave him an off look. Perhaps he was mad. "And though clearly I stand before you! How rude! Aye, a most rude offense you commit unto me!"<br>"What say I? What are you to defend yourself with you left behind your kingdom, unable to defend it! 'Thou art dishonored', came the whisper from each lip, legend tells!" Rebutted Riskas.  
>"Nay, nay! I, dishonored? Balderdash! Tarry a moment, child, and leave us shake these manners in room for our cause?" The King outstretched a hand to the villager.<br>"Nope!" Said Riskas. "Last time I touched you, half the life was sucked out of me."  
>". . . Half the life, you say?" The former King stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Am I a Toa of Vampirish, now?"<br>"It's not unlikely that your element-"  
>"Surely you see I jest!" Interrupted the King.<br>"Legends be true! You _are _stubborn, aren't you?"  
>The King bent down to Riskas. "I once heard a fellow say men of any kind may survive hell and the road back if they art stubborn enough not to fall when they wish to stand upright, so!"<br>Riskas picked himself up. "And yet, King, you may not leave here."  
>The King laughed and sarcastically remarked: "O Villain, villain! Pray thee, do not attempt to stop me, or I shall quiver before thy nature!" When done chuckling at his own joke, he asked: "Well, plead thy case. Why should I stay, young 'un?"<br>"Remember," began Riskas with an angry expression, "when the island of Faiklen was attacked by the Menace? An enemy divine, worthy of challenging your good leadership. It swept us up as a tide, we were naught but grains of sand to it. That very tide took away the rock protecting us all . . . You. You were killed, beheaded and your body cast into this very canyon, the Hellwretch. Named after what the people were made to call you after our enslavement. S-"  
>"Balderdash!"Interrupted the enraged King. "BALDERDASH! I'll here naught of it! I'm leaving!"<br>"Enough!" shouted Riskas, his eyes alight. "You'll sit and listen, because I am not inferior to you! You are NOBODY's King now!" The King's expressions softened, and he sat.

"Now," continued Riskas, "you have been all but erased, a shadow cast of yourself. A forgotten legend. You're people suffer because you were not strong enough to protect us. But I do not hold it against you, King. No one could have saved us. I respect your honor, and out of the very same regard urge you to leave for the waterlands. Find a shipmaster who will take to a faraway isle. There is nothing left here. Nothing to say, nothing to do." Riskas himself turned and left, without saying goodbye to the silent King, retracing his steps and moving all the way back up through the nooks and crannies of the Hellwretch to the exit, where he found there was no person in sight. Night had fallen. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. Her turned to see a giant warrior behind him. It was a commander of the Menace.  
>"Pardon me, young one, may I ask what you were doing down there? I heard noises. Strange ones." The alien's serpentine eyes flickered in a suspicious manner. Riskas was in fact fully-grown, and took offense at this. <em>Alright, if he's going to be like this about it, let's give him hell for it<em>.  
>"Uh, yessir, I was actually fighting some wildlife down there, for some hides, but it got away. It was dark and I could not identify the beast nor where it went." <em>Ten points from all judges, top marks from the teacher, that was a class-A lie<em>.  
>"Sounds plausible." Even now the commander wasn't convinced. "What's your name, young one?"<br>"Seeraka." Riskas said without hesitation. It was his fake name.  
>"Very well, carry on." Said the alien. As he turned to leave, a hand outstretched from the entrance the Hellwretch, coving his mouth and dragging him in. A few minutes later, the King emerged.<br>"I need surgical tools, a magnifying glass, lightstone, some kind of trustworthy electric villager."


	3. Chapter 2: Sarobando

"Uh. . . Alright." Said Riskas with an un-amused face, "this was a mistake." The King made an indignant face. "Whoa, whoa, easy. I'll get those. . . if I can. Just, . . . just don't kill that alien."  
>"Muhh. . ." Groaned The King. "Dirty blues. . ."<p>

Riskas ran back to town. The sun was rising. It was a small enough town, large enough for a few hundred inhabitants and no more. Pole-mounted lightstones made it visible from all around. Now, what was his priority? The magnifying glass? The villager? The lightstone? The surgical tools? _Why does he want surgical tools? What? . . . I should get someone to help me first. Then I can gather the materials I need faster. In such a mixed town of outlaws and_ _outcasts. . . It shouldn't be hard to think of an accomplice. Saro! I'll get Saro!_

Riskas had snuck into places before, when he was younger, but this was different. He was sneaking in to wake up somebody. He got halfway through Saro's little house before he realized there was no need to be quiet when he was going to wake her up anyway. Nevertheless he persisted and tiptoed around. He peeked behind her bedroom door. She was sleeping sound. He found it strange that people always found it hard to find a way to wake somebody. He watched her sleep for a moment, and he wish he didn't have to wake her. She seemed so untouchably comfortable. Snapping himself out of it, he whispered: "Hey, Saro! Saro!" Her eyes opened behind her mask. She was startled.  
>"R-Riskas!-"<br>"Shh! Saro, get up! I need your help!"  
>"But. . " she said in her tired state, "I. . . " Riskas tried his best to look desperate for help. "Fine. . ." He moved away from her bed and she got up. Climbing out of bed awkwardly, she desperately pried one eyelid from another, but it seemed like they were tied to their counterpart with elastic.<br>"What's up? Besides my levels of sleep deficiency, that is."  
>"Good one." He said, folding his arms. "I need you to help me. First, we need to gather some things, and then I can tell you." He made an unhappy face. "I can't tell you until we are a safe distance from this town."<br>"Tell me what?"  
>"Oh. . . Oops. Well, I can't tell you until we're out of town." She tapped her foot on the wooden floor impatiently. He rolled his eyes. "Ugh! Yes Saro, I trust you." She opened her mouth to speak. "I trust you to tell you this much: I met a new friend who is in a bad way. And he is very, very important."<br>"Fine." She conceded. "What must we gather?"  
>Riskas face was suddenly one of horror. "A lightstone, er. . . I forget. . . Okay, follow me, we're going to the Hellwretch!" He ran out of her room and house before she had time to question it.<p>

"Riskas! Riskas! Riskas, WAIT!" She yelled, just as the Hellwretch was in sight. He stopped and bent over, hands on his knees, panting. "Who is this friend?!"  
>"I. . . I know I p-p. . ." He left himself fall on his backside. "Kay. . . Okay gimme a minute. . ."<br>She placed her hands on her hips and created herself a _very_ annoyed expression.  
>"So. . . So I was going to. . ." His voice trailed off as if it gave up on his sentence. He lay back on the sand altogether. "Damnit!" He yelled, laughing at himself. She tried desperately to block off a smile. Couldn't. Good thing he couldn't see it from where he was. "I don't want to spoil the surprise. . ."<br>"SALUTATIONS, MY LITTLE FRIENDS AND MY LITTLE FRIEND'S FRIEND!"  
>Riskas sat up promptly and saw The King a good five feet from where the Hellwretch Canyon's cave systems met the surface, waving and smiling at the two villagers. Riskas immediately panicked and ran towards The King, arms outstretched, "<strong>NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!<strong>"he yelled while futilely attempting to push The King inside the cave again.  
>"Why, my friend, hohoho, have you not remembered last time you rubbed off on me?"<br>Riskas stopped and took a full step back, "Okay, back, back, back! Okay. . . " He held his hands out in front of him as if it were his proof of life, "Okay. . . Not dead. Well, good thing you didn't suck the other half of my life outta me- no, no, no! What is this? Get inside!" The King looked at Saro and shrugged, pointing at Riskas in ridicule. Nevertheless, he obeyed and turned for the darkness of the Hellwretch's depths, "If only, dear friend, you could see as I do your world."  
>"What is that, good King?" Asked Riskas. Saro cocked her head and gave a sceptical look.<br>"The goal of my darker purpose. Take back what's rightfully mine- Faiklen."  
>"Whoa, I'm not helping a tyrant!" Yelled Saro to Riskas and The King. "What is this, some stupid cult?!"<br>"What? No! Saro, this is _The King_! The one who died generations ago? The one who tried to save us against the Menace!" Defied Riskas.  
>"What's good's swapping one tyrant for another?" Asked Saro stubbornly.<br>"Nope. This is _The King_! The one who starved with the people, who eat less food than a common man during the Famine of long ago, the man who slew more of the Menace than were thought to exist! The King, who was able to rally more Toa than had ever been seen before! The _King, _whose speeches are recorded and studied to this day! This is _our King_, he hails from _our land_, he was put in power by _our fathers-fathers_, the one who fought to his _very_ last capable breath to honor the deaths of those mentioned fathers-fathers! This is our King, he is from our home, and he is going to take it back! And we're going to help him."  
>The King, full of talk up the this point, stopped leaning against the doorway and hoisted Riskas upon his right shoulder.<br>"Aye." He simply said. "Well put."  
>Saro looked to them. "Well how can I help?"<br>"W-We. . . We kind of need a few supplies. . ." Said Riskas, looking at the King, who promptly groaned and dropped him.  
>"Should thee seek me, I'll rest in my humble abode."He sulked off, down into the Hellwretch again.<p> 


	4. Chapter 3: Fallen on Faiklen

"On Okoto, they believe in a prophesy which proclaims the Toa reclaiming Masks of Power." Said Sarobando. She and Riskas had taken to the streets to search for the King's supplies.  
>"Of course they do." Replied Riskas. "Remember when that crazy woman arrived, saying she had fallen from the sky of another realm?"<br>"What was her name? Redin?"  
>"No. Redya." Correct Riskas. "She asked if we'd found the <em>dead man<em>. She ran off before you nor I could get any more information out of her."  
>"But she was beside a boat, and that boat looked as if it had travelled from Okoto."<br>"Sure did." Riskas scratched his chin. "Was pointed in the direction it should've been to have come from there."  
>"We might not know for a while, but I can't help but feel she was linked to the King's rebirth. New people have been arriving all over Faiklen." Saro was an expert on destiny, and signs that a destined event was going to take place. "It must mean something."<br>"All of this. . . And rumours of the Mask Maker being seen." Riskas added.  
>"It's too bad old Lanta didn't get a good look at them. She's gone very blind in her old age, you know."<br>"And all we know, was that Lanta saw a hulking figure wearing a strange, wide Mask, who said, _I am the Mask Maker. I will make _the Mask _you need_, correct?"  
>"Right." Saro sighed. "I guess we won't know for a while."<p>

[Hello! I am S/M16A4, and I'd like to thank you for reading this far. This conversational mini-chapter was inspired by the plot-driving small conversations the _Professor Layton_ game series. Hint, hint. Plot hints. Merry Christmas folks, unless like I you do not celebrate it, in which case, a friendly bah humbug to you too! "A terrible beauty is born." -W.B. Yeats. This does not refer to this message block.]


	5. Chapter 4: Mon Travail N'est Pas

A devilish dreadnought arose from as if thin air. He materialized and fell, fell onto one knee and had his fist hit the ground to stabilize himself.  
>"A terrible beauty is born." He stood upright. "I am. . . I am a prophet of darker days. I am. . . Zealot." He stumbled as he tried to get up and walk away. His leg hadn't made the jump well. It didn't feel like it was all there, but he knew it was. It was. And if he told himself that enough, he could learn to believe it. For now, pushing his thigh wound out of the way, he began to limp aimlessly, looking for Redya.<p>

Several hours of aimless wandering later, he had gotten himself into a fight with a rather agitated female bear. He had beat it back with his iron will. He had lodged a nearby stone shard deep in its gizzard and shred it. He told it that it had fought with the highest manner of honor before stamping in her head to put her out of her misery. And that was enough for him. He was lucky nobody had seen it, lest they thought of him as a savage.

"I have to find Redya." He kept telling himself. "I have to find Redya."  
>"Over there! A <em>Toa<em>!" Zealot heard. It was an odd and familiar looking figure in the lead, with two complete aliens behind them. They began to run towards Zealot, hissing all the way.  
>"I'm not a Toa! I'm not a Toa!" Zealot shouted. The aliens stopped dead in their tracks. The familiar one paced towards Zealot while the two aliens stuck their swords in the sands and bowed on one knee.<br>"You speak our tongue?" Asked their apparent leader.  
>"I am Zealot. I am lost." He said simply. "Yes. I do."<br>Their leader eyed him. "Very well. You say you are no Toa?"  
>"By the fallen I say nay." Said Zealot.<br>The leader was instantly accommodating: "You know our language, and are wounded! Brother, are you not of us? Of a lost company?"  
>"I am not sure. . . I am Zealot, and I am lost."<br>"What do you seek, brother?" Asked the leader.  
>"I seek you arise." Said Zealot, motioning for his subordinates to get up. "Take me to those who lead you. I shall see if I am known."<p>

Zealot was lead beyond the desert region of the island of Faiklen, learning of its lores from the soldiers, who told him they were from an army of mercenaries known as The Menace. It was what the islands inhabitants called them. They were of the species known as the Teract, and came here to open trade route between Faiklen and Terran Island, their home.

They were met with resistance, and their leader was captured, tortured, and killed with no chance to fight back. Faiklen's natives were met with the Teract's brutish rebuttal, and were conquered in the Teract's rage. The Teract enforce only honor on this island. But Faiklen's people rebel.

"I am insurrection incarnate." Said Zealot after a while. "I know little else. I am a herald of my own beliefs, and I believe I wish to help you eliminate your opposition."  
>"You are a herald of you own beliefs?" Asked one of the leader's subordinates. "Is that why. . . you call yourself Zealot?"<br>"No. No indeed." Replied Zealot.  
>"Then why do you call yourself Zealot?"<br>"Because there is no power higher than myself. I am only a harbinger of my beliefs at the moment. A private Zealot. Once I unleash them, I shall be a prophet."  
>"We are taking you to an area obsolete to Teract needs, where a high-level operative of ours was captured." Said their Leader. "My name is Magnavox. To my left is Sekrion, to my right is Ajrah. We are Teract, and Faiklen's natives call us the Menace. After this mission ends, we will take you to the Teract Hierarchs. You look like a Toa-warrior, Zealot. But you are not."<p>

Zealot took out a small metal object, grooved to fit his hand, from where it was strapped to on his leg. "What would you have Zealot do?"  
>"You shall see-" Magnavox pointed at some wispy smoke plumes in the distance. It was the town of Fe-Kama. "You are lucky we found you on the way."<br>"No matter of luck, I'm sure." Replied Zealot." Just one question, Magnavox. You said _mission ends_ not _mission is complete_. Why?"  
>"Because this order comes from an echelon above us, we are only here to root out Toa, not kill them."<br>"I am not of your flock." Zealot begun to perform little honorary preparatory blade manoeuvres. His eyes were vapid but somehow burned with the flame of life. "I will help you on your mission, do what you cannot."  
>"I see." Said Magnavox. Sekrion and Ajrah looked at each other, unsure what to make of this curious warrior, Zealot.<p>

[It's French, look it up and you'll see much more. If that's bad French, sorry :P  
>I seems alright to me though. I'm still very much learning.]<p> 


	6. Chapter 5: Toa Inquisition

Riskas didn't like the look of this. Three shady-as-anything Menace grunts walking over the hills. "Saro." Saro was sound asleep. Riskas shook her. "Saro! Saro! Why are you sleeping?!"  
>"Riskas. . . It's been a long day." She muttered.<p>

The figures on the hill were followed by one in unusual armour. . . it- no, he. It was definitely a _he. _No question or doubt about it. He had rear facing knees, unlike most people he's seen in his lifetime. He hadn't the most hulking, colossal appearance- no. It was his mannerisms which made him intimidating. Just his very gaunt was scary. His bluish eyes seethed, as if he must satisfy his need to shed blood. His legs made an audible odd metallic sound. He seemed more machine than man. He held in his hands a strange rod, shaped to fit comfortable in his hand and fingers. It looked as if it were a broken sword perhaps, which had snapped while aiding the Menace soldiers, that he was keeping until he could repair it or find a real weapon to suit him. Riskas shoved Saro, hard, and her eyes went wide open. He made a _shh_ gesture and pointed at the warrior on the hill.

A large bug landed on his shoulder. He stayed still momentarily. He teleported a foot backwards and crushed it with his free hand, the poor bug not even having the chance to lost its balance. She looked at Riskas, wide eyed. "Is he with the Menace?"  
>"Looks like. Let's go tell the King."<p>

"Zealot," began Magnavox, "wait here. There should be another patrolling batch of Menace Rangers circling around here soon. I want you to tell them we may have a . . . " The silence of this pause seemed deafening. Zealot could tell Magnavox didn't want him finding out much about this item on the agenda. ". . . A lead on the face of evil."  
>"Stupid." Said Zealot, blade now sheathed and arms folded. "You're going to have to do better than that to fool or impress me."<p>

They were stood on a sand dune. A chilly breeze flared through his armour, and he felt his blood curdle. He took a second -while Magnavox was coming up with more transparent code word jargon- to take a look at the now-in-plain-sight village of Fe-Kama. The village of iron, as it were. How Zealot knew this he did not know. A giant mountain lay to its north, he and his light company of Menace troopers had arrived from the south.

"What is that mountain called?" Asked Zealot while Magnavox was tripping over excuses Zealot chose not to listen to.  
>"That? That's Mountain Kardas. Why?"<br>"I don't know." He looked around at the village. "I don't know. This place is eerie- it feels as if a ghost is drawing me into it."  
>"You are a strange fellow, Zealot. Something tells me you have a few more tricks up your sleeve."<br>"Something tells me you're fishing for information." Replied Zealot. "I will wait here. Go."  
>"Tell the next patrol- tell them that if we don't return- then it's <em>Cabal<em>."  
>Zealot gave him no signs of his confusion, just a solemn nod. "You hunt Toa?"<br>Unsure how he deduced it, Magnavox just told him: "Yes."


	7. Chapter 6: Angel on Your Shoulder

"Hey, King!" Riskas' voice cracked. "If you're done combing your ego we've got a problem!"  
>The King stepped out from the shadows of the Hellwretch. He brandished a sword with no hilt. "King?"<br>"There hath spawned an awakening. . . My adversary lies yonder." Said the King, his eyes fixated on the village. "Riskas, you and Saro stay here, deep in the Hellwretch. Find my prisoner, query him as to what he knows of I."  
>Riskas raised an eyebrow, but wasn't one to be bossed around with no good reason to be.<br>"No! That's-"  
>"Riskas, go!" Said the King with urgency, but as he calmly strolled towards the village.<br>"What is he doing?" Asked Saro. "He'll be killed if they see him!"  
>"Saro, get in the cave." Said Riskas. He couldn't risk being seen with the King.<br>"But-"  
>"Saro, we need to be hidden." Said Riskas, staring at the marching King with respect. "Our King is no fool."<p>

Magnavox motioned to his subordinates to brace for a fight. On the ground was a large rock plate, circular and likely hiding a hole. He stayed for a moment. He noticed a beetle scurry underneath it. This told him his intuition must be correct, that beetle must have been attracted to some heat; likely that of a hidden Toa. Villagers gathered around. Magnavox had found a fugitive. He looked at Sekrion and Ajrah. Both nodded. He reached for the plate and lifted.

Out sprung a large Toa warrior bearing two large blades, slicing through Ajrah and Sekrion as they escaped their hiding spot. Magnavox let the Toa turn to face him, seemingly unfazed from his subordinates' demise. The Toa feinted a step forward, and as Magnavox began the motion to stab kicked away his blade, hitting the bad of their foot on the blade's side. Magnavox stood confused for a second, then once the Toa recovered, aimed and struck a swift kick to Magnavox's jaw, knocking him out cold.

"My name is Nysdare. You may know of my brother, Emboreyldan." To the spectating Riskas' surprise, the voice was female. "There is greater evil afoot." Riskas noticed something strange, she didn't wear a Mask. Or, as the most archaic of islanders called the for some odd reason, Kanohi. Sure enough, she reached into the hole she had risen from and pulled out a mask, and tucked it under her arm.

The gathered villagers stared at her two katana. She shed them, and they disappeared in mid-air, only the blood from the both of them. They reappeared in two sheaths Riskas just noticed on her back. She flickered, as if not there for a moment. Riskas and Saro's eyes both widened, and they looked at each other.  
>"Another ghost Toa?!" Exclaimed Saro.<br>Riskas shook his head reluctantly. Nysdare was flickering faster and faster.

He ran to her. "Nysdare! Nysdare! I need your help!"  
>The flickering stopped. Gracefully, Nysdare moved her head slowly to see Riskas. She bent down to be at his height.<br>"What is it?" Her words were soft but deliberate and slow.  
>"Not something I can say out-loud and in public." Said Riskas. He knew how to handle her type- which he could tell from her tone; she was good at hiding her condescendence. "But you're used to that, right?"<p>

Nysdare lowered her voice, and when she spoke, Riskas thought he understood her better: "_Is it a Toa?_" Riskas was unsure what to think of her. This voice was concerned and careful. Perhaps she puts on a confident facade?  
>Riskas stared back. Nysdare knew what that meant; it was too dangerous to even whisper. And that only could mean one thing: High priority Toa.<br>"Go home. " She said, sounding dismissive, but with her back turned to the rest of the villagers, carrying with the remark a wink. She began to walk away from the village and flickered until she disappeared entirely.

"Riskas, what did you tell her?" Asked a villager.  
>"Yeah, what's the big idea?" Asked Emir.<br>"I. . ." Riskas felt an epiphany. He chuckled. "I, uh- hehe, I may have made a joke in very poor taste that should definitely not be repeated!"  
>Most everyone laughed heartily.<br>"Good ole Riskas, making light of a grim situation!" Exclaimed the young Emir. His father ruffled his head.  
>"Indeed." He said. "Now. . . these bodies. . ."<br>Riskas snuck off while the villagers debated over what should be done about the two halved corpses lying around.

"Shab. . . " Said Saro. "I mean, it's one thing to see a Toa, but a Toa who can shred _two _RANGERS! With crazy phantom blades! What a graceful badass! I want to be like her. . ."  
>Riskas crossed his arms, stretched his back. He smirked- Saro knew it - that smirk where the corners of his mouth parted. It meant he was super snarky and super confident.<br>"Yup. Wo-"  
>"What are you planning?!" She interrupted.<br>"What if. . ." The smile grew to a full on grin, "you got to meet her?"  
>Toa Nysdare materialized. She just looked at Saro.<br>"TOA NYSDARE!" Saro shouted.  
>"Shh." Said Nysdare, fighting off a giggle, being down to meet their gazes like she'd done to Riskas before. "I'm being discrete for a reason."<br>Riskas noticed how respectful she really was. "Please, Toa Nysdare, we could use the help of a professional."  
>"What's the problem? I'm up for the job."<br>"Toa, I do not doubt your skills and admire your confidence but I am not so sure! Follow me!"  
>He lead her down into the Hellwretch.<p>

"Riskas, he went to the town? He's not here-"  
>"Riskas! Riskas you devil, why didn't you forewarn me of my lack of weapons!"<br>Riskas bent over laughing. He regained self control, made an awkward cough. "Good Toa Nysdare, I present to you, our fallen King."  
>Nysdare had the most bewildered look plastered on her face. She shuddered and began to move - still deliberately and gracefully- towards the King.<br>"Salutations my dear, I propose I acquaint you to Riskas and Sarobando- my companions!"

Nysdare regained composure, and shook her head. "We've already met. I'm more interested in you."  
>"I am the man who let Faiklen fall. What more needs't to be said? Doth the fair lady needs't know more? I am your vaunt-courier. Who was your great-great-grandmother?"<br>Nysdare gave him an unsure look. "Toa Ada the Unfelled."  
>"Ah, but she was! By my side. A Menace spear- excuse me! In my hay-day, the days of the vaunt-couriers like I as you young ruffians may say, the Teract were referred to as the Menace. A soldier felled the unfelled! Aye, lass. 'Twas unlucky. Aimed for I- she, she took the spear for I."<br>Nysdare's face disintegrate, transformed and rearranged. "Of course, she was then pinned to the ground,"  
>"Bleeding out." Said Nysdare in symphony with the King. "They found her, just an armoured skeleton. . . pinned to the ground. . . mask found nearby, but not on her body."<br>"That's because I . . ." The King paused. "Took care of her."  
>Nysdare looked at her mask. "This was hers."<p>

And that's when the King did something Riskas hadn't seen him do before. He looked at her mask, and some kind of energy flushed through his eyes. The King's body being entirely clear, it was odd to see his eyes alight a blazing blue.

That was when it happened: a realization. Subconsciously, the King moved to Nysdare and took the mask.

It wasn't _what _the King did, it was _how _ he did it. Of course the shocked Nysdare made no attempt to stop him from taking her grandmothers mask- gently as he did it.  
>"K-k-k-king. . ." Said Riskas. He snapped out of it. "How did you do that?"<p>

The King cocked his head at Riskas. "Are you alright?"  
>"Are you?" Asked Nysdare. She looked him up and down, then bent down to Riskas. "Did you awaken him?"<br>"Yes."  
>"How?" She asked. She was calm and professional. Riskas was beginning to admire her.<br>"I touched his mask." Riskas said. "I fainted after doing so. Then you came along."  
>"I see."<p>

She lowered her voice and whispered something to him, but Saro nor the King couldn't make it out.  
>Riskas looked unsure, that his opinions on whatever she said were mixed. He whispered something back. She nodded. He bit his lip; which Saro knew meant he was distressed. Finally, Riskas looked at the King, then at Saro. The King evidently didn't trust Nysdare. He knew Saro was sold on her. Riskas was clearly making a tough call by himself, but Saro didn't mind; that was just his way.<p>

And then, Riskas nodded, and she stood up.  
>"I'll give you some time to reconsider, Riskas. But I'll be here in the morning, ready or not."<br>"Okay." Said Riskas.  
>"Er, a question, dear lady?" Spoke the King. "On what means did I offend thee when I grabbed thy mask?"<br>"You didn't." Sighed Nysdare. "You just. . . You didn't walk over to me, you. . . phased or something. I don't know what it's called, but since I died-" she 'phased' to the exit of the little room in the Hellwretch which they were in (where Riskas found awakened the King) "- I've been able to do it."  
>And with that, she flickered and was gone.<p>

Saro had gone back into town for the night, but Riskas stayed with the King. They were sat against the wall of the room Riskas had resurrected him in.  
>"You want to know what that was about?" He asked finally.<br>"Nay." Said the King.  
>"Why?" Asked Riskas.<br>"I shan't be pleased."  
>"No." Replied Riskas. "You won't. But I have to tell you. It's time to say goodbye for now, King."<br>The King groaned. Riskas let him digest that for a second then continued, "you're going with Nysdare in the morning. You're going to the nearest guild of the Rangerkiller Rebellion to be trained by the Huntmaster that resides there. You're going to fight the power, and take our island back."  
>"My name. . ." The King spoke, eyes an oceanic blue again, "Is not important. My body has been destroyed. I am here to battle evil. It is my destiny to reclaim my island, and bring REGICIDE."<br>His eyes went soulless again. "Riskas, I understand. You must tell Sarobando I said fare-thee-well."  
>"Just. . . . Just get some sleep, you old lug. You've got a good days travelling ahead of you tomorrow."<br>"We hath come quite a ways in the shortest manners of time, have we not?" The King laughed.  
>"Indeed." Replied Riskas with a smile.<br>"Indeed, say thou? Indeed?! My mannerisms appear to rather infectious."  
>"Maybe so." Said Riskas. He was downbeat, and slouched a bit.<br>"Tut, tut young 'un! Chin up!" Jested the King, "Back straight! Tut, tut! That's no way for a champion to be seated! Posture, my good fellow! Aha!"  
>"Ehehe. Champion?" Asked Riskas.<br>"Riskas, from you retelling you knew the mask no more than legend! And so, it choose you! Why else should a legendary Kanohi such as mine be any of your business?! Yes- yes, you are chosen."  
>"Chosen?"<br>"Aye, lad. Chosen." Replied the King. "What for? I know not, I know not- but I know that it shan't end here for thee- nay. You, Riskas, you hath miles to go before thy sleep."  
>Riskas shrugged. The King smiled.<br>"Riskas, should this truly be the end for you and I. . . I am happy to have know you."  
>"And you I, King. You I."<br>"Oya!" He said in a tired voice.  
>"One couldn't hurt. . . Oya!"<p>

They both fell fast asleep, blissfully ignorant of the enemy-allied amnesiac alien outside the room.


	8. Chapter 7: Devil on Your Doorstep

The King felt somebody shake him. He drew a phantom blade from nowhere. Luckily, Nysdare was hardly easy to damage, and she sensed it and teleported a foot back.  
>"Your powers are growing faster than mine did, that's for sure." She spoke low, sweetly. The King looked at Riskas, who was still fast asleep alongside him. He wiggled around his eyebrows to clear the fluid blurring his eyes. Nysdare grabbed his face roughly, started to stare into his eyes, moving it around to get a good look at his vacant eyes.<br>"You're dead, King. All you're doing is muscle memory. Your vision's not blurry."  
>She was right. "All's changed. . ." He grumbled.<br>Nysdare ushered for him to get up.  
>"I cannot justify my leave and not spake a farewell to the good squire, Nysdare." He stated.<br>"Sure can. Goodbye's suck." She spoke more sincerely than normal. "What, you plan on seeing him again, right? We come back for our friends, we don't ever say goodbye."  
>The King made a wry expression, then got up. Nysdare was gone, probably teleported outside the cave. With one last look at his friend, he left the cavern in the Hellwretch he had resided it for hundreds of years for good.<p>

The King made his way out until he saw the exit. The sun was pure gold, radiating yellow rays down onto the lands as far as the eye could see.  
>"Hrrngh. . ." The King looked to his left, startled. A fearsome beast stood there, gold and silver in colour, his face painted with rage, and he seemed to growl at the King. "Draw. . ." Said the man.<br>The King had no reaction but confusement. The King noticed an odd tool in his hand.  
>"S-Say, good fellow, what be the aperture in thy hand?"<br>"I am Zealot." Said the man, and with a distinct and familiar _click_ blue blades emanated from the object he was holding. It was a peculiar energy sword.

Zealot slashed at the King, who put up his arms in defence. They became cloaked in light- possibly the sun's rays, and turned to giant gauntlets. Moreover, it was the Kings vambraces and babraces which enlarged. His eyes white eyes flashed red, and turned pink. Zealot, stunned and beat back a few feet by the King's sudden defence, took little notice.

"No matter." He said out loud in a robotic and synthesized voice. "I hoped for this/I like a challenge."  
>He spoke in the strangest manner and pattern. The King raised an eyebrow. Zealot charged again, and the King's gauntlets took the blow. He hit Zealot, lashing him, again, and again. . . . Zealot's natural energy shield (which all native Faiklaish have) cracked and he started to take damage. The Zealot slashed from left to right, under the King, with is blade sideways. The King took a mighty hit, and his shields downed too.<p>

The King decided that this was do or die.  
>"This is itNow I have you." Said his assailant with supreme confidence.  
>The sun faded behind a cloud. The King's vambraces and babraces returned to normal. Zealot slashed the sword around while walking towards the King.<p>

_WHAAM! _Nysdare appeared eleven feet high in the air, coming down with her phantom blade on Zealot's sword with a crash. She reached for another, but his sparked and fizzled out. She had hit it's hilt. Nysdare swung for a decapitation, but Zealot ducked and vanished.  
>"Damnit. Another ghost Toa?" She looked towards the King, who had fallen on one knee, panting.<br>"And you? Are you okay?"  
>"Art thou? Thankee, merciful Toa."<br>Nysdare swung the King's arm over her shoulder, and she helped the energy-less man limp away.  
>"Hey, it's what I do? Us ghost Toa, we gotta st'ck you t'gether, ya know?"<p> 


	9. Chapter 8: Providence

Zealot stood where Magnavox had told him to be. He watched the disgraced Terran trudge back through the dunes.  
>"Hello MagnavoxDo you need help?" He said.  
>"Do YOU?" Replied the sour soldier. "You look like. . . . . . Zealot, did you engage the ghost Toa?"<br>"I engaged two ghost Toa/I bit off more than I could chew."  
>"Every time you speak," panted Magnavox, "and form a new sentence, you instantly jump to it but your tone is reset. Why are you talking like this?"<br>"I am not aware/I wish to find the cause of this problem."  
>"I feel like maybe I should bring you in to my superiors." Said Magnavox. "They'll know what to make of you. I mean you no offense when I say that I certainly don't."<br>"That is to be expected/take me to your leader."

Riskas awoke. Saro was beside him. "We need to go, Riskas." She said. She had a large pack on her shoulders.  
>"W-what? Why?!"<br>"The King was engaged with one of the Terran. People noticed we were being shady. And some people are greedy enough to take their supplies as barter for information. Mainly our names. So we have to get out of here be-"  
>"Is he okay, Saro?" He asked.<br>"Yeah, he fought off that big gold and silver guy, but the latter got away. He left with Nysdare. Listen, we need to GO." She said firmly. "The Terran aren't a people to forgive and forget, especially with the death of two Rangers, and the defeat of a Ranger Prime."

She threw a survival pack at him. It landed square on his chest, winding him, with an audible _whoof, "_aah why amn't I breath'n'" She giggled.  
>"Whoa, I'm fine. Thank you. Where to, Sarobando?"<br>"Te-Kama." She said.  
>"The poison village?" He asked, unsure.<br>"I have friends there."  
>"My backside. You haven't left Fe-Kama since we brought you here after the expedition."<br>"That's. . . . Right. They may not remember me. Where would you prefer to go then?"  
>"I mean, listen, it's one thing to go from the iron village to the poison village, so let's make this an easier transition for a poor Fe-Clan like I. How about. . . Dra-Kama?"<br>"Fine, but only because I want to learn about the ancient dragons that are said to have roosted there" She kicked him lightly. "Let's go."  
>He picked himself up, "I hear there are still a few left. . . Hiding. . . Waiting."<br>"Really." Said Saro dismissively.  
>"Oh yeah! Some say that Toa Rorzuubdak can talk to them."<br>"He was the one the legends said that the last dragon gave eternal youth, right?"  
>"So they say. But a moment ago, you didn't believe me," Countered Riskas with a smirk.<br>"And when did I say I did? Just confirming we were talking about the same _fable_. . . that's all."  
>"Same ole Sceptic Saro." Chuckled Riskas.<br>"DON'T start calling me that again."  
>"Hehe!"<p> 


End file.
